MEDIA ADVISORY: The American Legion 97th National Convention Highlights

(Subject to Change)

--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The American Legion:

Wednesday, August 26
Legacy Run Arrival: League City American Legion Post 22, Towson, 125 York Road, Maryland
11:30 a.m.	Hundreds of Legion Riders arrive following a ride from American Legion HQS in Indianapolis, raising funds for The American Legion Legacy Scholarship Fund
	Great News Story and Photo Opportunity
Friday, August 28
7:30 a.m.	American Legion- National Convention Rebuild Together Project:
8:00 a.m.	Darley Park, 2325 Hartford Road, Baltimore, MD
12:00 p.m.	Lunch & Media Event
9:00 a.m.	Veterans Legislative Town Hall Meeting: Baltimore Convention Center, Rooms 327 & 328, Level 300 - Open to all Veterans and the Public
1:00 p.m.	Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Ad Hoc Committee, Baltimore Convention Center, Room 332, Level 300
5:00 p.m.	Color Guard Competition: Baltimore Convention Center, Swing/Hall F, Level 100 - Open to the Public
7:00 p.m.	Film Screening - Debt of Honor: Disabled Veterans in American History. Baltimore Convention Center, Room 310, Level 300.
Saturday, August 29
National Security: Baltimore Convention Center, Rooms 340-342, Level 300
9:15 a.m.	Guest Speaker, Department of Defense (TBD)
9:45 a.m.	Vice Admiral Joseph P. Mulloy, United States Navy, Department of Naval Operations
10:15 a.m.	Army Lt. Gen. (Ret) Michael S. Linnington, Director, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency
10:45 a.m.	Ann Mills-Griffiths, Chairman of the Board, National League of POW/MIA Families
Legislative:	Baltimore Convention Center, Room 325, Level 300
10:00 a.m.	Chris Van Hollen, United States House of Representative
Veterans Affairs & Rehabilitation: Baltimore Convention Center, Room 337 & 338, Level 300
9:30 a.m.	Phillip Longman, Policy Director & Managing Editor, New America’s Open Markets
10:00 a.m.	David J. Shulkin, MD, Under Secretary for Health, Veterans Health Administration, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
10:30 a.m.	Allison A. Hickey, Under Secretary for Benefits, Veterans Benefits Administration, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
11:00 a.m.	Health Care Panel (A), Baltimore Convention Center, Rooms 343 & 344, Level 300
	Marsden H. McGuire, Deputy Chief Consultant, Mental Health Standards of Care, Office of Patient Care Services, Veterans Health Administration, United States Department of Veterans Affairs
	Janet Murphy, Acting Deputy Under Secretary for Operations and Management, Veterans Health Administration, United States Department of Veterans Affairs
	Dr. James Tuchschmidt, Acting Principal Deputy Under Secretary for Health, Veterans Health Administration, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
	Sabrina Clark, Director, VA Voluntary Service, United States Department of Veterans Affairs
	Phillip Longman, Author, Best Care Anywhere
	Benefits Panel (B), Baltimore Convention Center, Rooms 337 & 338, Level 300
	Robert Reynolds, Director, Benefits Assistance Service, Veterans Benefits Administration, United States Department of Veterans Affairs
	Tony Camilli, Veterans Outreach Coordinator, Office of Servicemember Affairs, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
	Cemetery Panel (C), Baltimore Convention Center, Room 339, Level 300
	Ron Walters, Interim Under Secretary for Memorial Affairs, National Cemetery Administration, United States Department of Veterans Affairs
	Sharon Abbott, Program Support Assistant, Baltimore National Cemetery, National Cemetery Administration, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
	Mr. Jack E. Lechner, Jr., CFSP, Superintendent, Arlington National Cemetery
Veterans Employment & Education: Hilton Baltimore, Holiday Ballroom, Secs. 4&5, Level 2
9:15 a.m.	LtGen Jeffrey W. Tally (invited), Reserve Command
10:00 a.m.	Ross Cohen, Vice President and Executive Director, U.S. Chamber of Commerce
10:15 a.m.	Private Sector Employment Panel
1:30 p.m.	Terry Gerton, Acting Assistant Secretary of Labor
2:15 p.m.	Federal Sector Employment Panel
Americanism and Children & Youth: Hilton Baltimore, Holiday Ballroom, Section 6, Second Floor
8:45 a.m.	American Legion National Youth Champion Delegation
9:05 a.m.	Nesse Godin, American Legion National Education Award Recipient
9:15 a.m.	Marcos Nava, Boy Scouts of America
9:25 a.m.	Nathan Stiefel, United States Citizenship Immigration Services
11:30 a.m.	Jaycee Dugard and Rebecca Bailey, JAYC Foundation
1:00 p.m.	Band Competition: Baltimore Convention Center, Rooms 314-317, Level 300
Sunday, Aug. 30
11:00 a.m.	Patriotic Memorial Service: Baltimore Convention Center, Swing/Hall F, Level 100 – The Texas Tenors.
4:00 p.m.	American Legion National Convention Parade: – Pratt Street and National Aquarium
	BOTH EVENTS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC
Monday, Aug. 31
9:00 a.m.	Employment Workshop: Hilton Baltimore, Key Ballroom, Section 1, 2^nd Floor
	ReBoots to Business Entrepreneurship Course: Hilton Baltimore, Key Ballroom, Section 5, 2^nd Floor
	Empowering our Veterans/Spouses Through Education, Employment & Entrepreneurship: Hilton Baltimore, Key Ballroom, Section 3 & 4, 2^nd Floor
	OPEN TO ALL VETERANS AND THE PUBLIC
11:00 a.m.	Joe Torre, Executive VP Major League Baseball, Recipient of the American Legion “Good Guy” Award, Hilton Baltimore, Holiday Ballroom, Sections 4-6, 2^nd Floor
Tuesday, September 1
7:00 a.m.	Hiring our Heroes Transition and Benefits Career Fair, Hilton Baltimore, Sections 7-12, 2^nd Floor
9:00 a.m.	Empowering our Veterans/Spouses through Education, Employment and Entrepreneurship
General Sessions: – Baltimore Convention Center, Hall F/Swing, Level 100
Tuesday, Sept. 1
9:15 a.m.	Opening Ceremony – Noah Galloway, Master of Ceremonies
	Musical Selections – The Texas Tenors
	American Legion Youth Champions
	Presentation of the Spirit of Service Awards to military personnel by Ryan M. Pitts, Medal of Honor Recipient and Noah Galloway
10:30 a.m.	Address by Ryan M. Pitts, Medal of Honor Recipient
10:50 a.m.	Address by The Honorable Ashton Carter, Secretary, U.S. Department of Defense
11:20 a.m.	Distinguished Service Medal Presentation to The Honorable Charles T. Hagel
11:40 a.m.	Welcome remarks by The Honorable Elijah Cummings, United States House of Representatives; The Honorable Lawrence Hogan, Governor of the State of Maryland; The Honorable Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, Mayor of the City of Baltimore; and Cheryl A. Paschall, Assistant to Sen. Barbara A. Mikulski
2:30 p.m.	National Commander Michael D. Helm’s Report to Convention
2:45 p.m.	Carl S. Mills, Vice President and Senior Relationship Manager, Fifth Third Bank
2:50 p.m.	Address by The Honorable Robert A. McDonald, Secretary, U.S. Dept. of Veterans Affairs
Wednesday, Sept. 2
9:20 a.m.	Address by Jamie Warder, President, USAA Bank
9:35 a.m.	Presentation of the 2015 National Law Enforcement Officer of the Year Award To Deputy Sheriff Ben Adams, Marion County Sheriff’s Office, Ocala, Florida
	Presentation of the 2015 Firefighter of the Year Award to Steve Brune, Emergency Medical Technician, West Point Volunteer Rescue, West Point, Nebraska
9:50 a.m.	Address by The Honorable Richard Blumenthal, U.S. Senate Committee on Veterans Affairs
11:25 a.m.	Special Presentation of The American Legion Patriot Award to The Oak Ridge Boys
12:55 p.m.	Address by Scott Stump, President of the Board, National Memorial for Desert Storm Veterans
Thursday, Sept. 3
9:05 a.m.	Fourth Estate Award Presentations to CNN, Atlanta, Georgia; CBS News, New York, New York; and USA Today, McLean, Virginia.
9:40 a.m.	Address by Col. Robert J. Dalessandro, USA (Ret.), Deputy Secretary, American Battle Monuments Commission
Noon	Election of National Commander and National Vice Commanders